The Mysterious Puddle and the Land Beyond, by E. Taylor (ONC2025)
- Reads 23
- Votes 2
- Parts 2
Ongoing10m
Last published Sat, Mar 1, 2025
Finding a book hidden by her neighbour, in a society where the arts have been banned and only Regime approved books are allowed, Anna Brigham can't help but sneak it home with her. She should report it, but how can she, when between the tattered pages she finds a way to escape her dreary life?
-----P-----
August, 23
...A puddle has appeared. I do not know where from, as mentioned above it has not rained in weeks, nor would anyone be so foolish as to play carelessly with water in these times. Even if they had, the water would have dried up in hours. The puddle remains, ever as inexplicable.
Am convinced it is a portal to another world.
Prompts:
5. After weeks of dry weather, a mysterious puddle appears in your garden. You're convinced it's a portal, but the only way to know for sure is to jump in.
In combination with, but more loosely based on:
61. The silence in the room is deafening, as though it has a life of its own. It's time to rewrite the fairy tale, but this time, the ending will be yours, and it won't be happy.
All Rights Reserved
#142
onc2025
Join the largest storytelling communityGet personalized story recommendations, save your favourites to your library, and comment and vote to grow your community.
You may also like
I Became The Villain's Secretary
After I suddenly died I possessed the body of what I thought was an extra within a novel. From then on my life was mostly calm, though not fulfilling. Until one day I discovered I wasn't just a background figure; instead I was an insignificant character who'd end up being the villainous Grand Duke's secretary, only to die shortly after being near him! But I had no choice, it was too late to change my fate, so I decided to live as obediently as possible under the orders of the sadist villain. But I still had a plan. Even before the female lead makes her appearance, I will try in every way to make the villain a little more normal, or at least ensure that the two do not meet, so that no one will face a harsh death, including me! And then, after the villain doesn't become obsessed with the female lead and becomes more normal, I will be able to resign and live peacefully. So I just cleared all the suspicions he might have about me in order to not incur his wrath and die like in the novel. * * * "I'll give you a choice." The corner of his lips raised crookedly. Though that smile did not reach his eyes at all. "One, don't resign and stay here forever..." His gaze was enough to unnerve me. "Two, let me kill those who dared to give you the idea of resigning...then don't go and stay here forever." No, haven't I already made sure that the villain has become a little more normal!? ...What the heck is going on!? He shouldn't be like this!
Shattered Legacies: Book 1, Holo Change
Anna splashed the warm water on her face, running her hands over her wet skin in attempts to set herself straight. "It was just a thought" she told herself, just an odd thought. Why get do rattled? It was exactly like Dr Jefferson had said: it was late, she had a hard day, that kind of situation coupled with a horror movie.. It was just a thought. Wiping her face with the towel on the counter she let out a sight. Feeling a bit more refreshed now. However, as soon as she removed the towel and saw her reflection.. "Did you brush your teeth?" An older woman came up to the doorway of the small bathroom where she felt like she were standing on something besides the tile floor. She had short hair and a white coat. "Yes momma." A younger voice smiled, causing the mother to cross her arms, "Let me see." not convinced and going to check the toothbrush of the girl. "Ok fine! I'll brush my teeth.." Her response was quick and a little annoyed, probably to keep from getting caught in a lie. The woman stood in the doorway to watch. Short blonde hair just reaching her shoulders, and a pair of cyan eyes looked back in the mirror with a much younger face. Disappearing just as soon as it had happened. "Aahah!" With a yelp Anna stepped back dropping the towel in the process, as sheer terror made it's way through her. Light, dark, weavers, Outcasts. It's all new to Anna, if that even is her name. After waking up with a blank slate of a mind, she has to not only relearn the ways of the world but also her own powers and what exactly it means to be "souless". The Order of Kismet, the goddess of fate, where is her place here? And is what they're doing truly right? Remembering is risky but it's the only chance she sees.
Infamous Last Words | ONC 2021 Honourable Mention | ✔
When your boss shows up angry at your door, you know your day is going to suck. When said boss happens to be the local crime lord, it's going to suck even more. And when an omen of death comes to pay you a visit as well, your morning is officially the suckiest. Jack isn't having a very good day. At least the problem with the angry boss can be fixed: to prove his worth and pay back debts, Jack agrees to help her find a valuable treasure in a cursed swamp infested with danger. Death, however, looms over him. Can he find a way to cheat his way out of losing his life? ~~ ~ONC honorable mention~ ~ONC round 1 ambassador pick~ ~Featured on StoriesUndiscovered~ ~Featured on WattpadDarkFantasy~ ~Featured on BadassReads~ ~Featured on 'the best action and adventure' reading list by the Ambassadors profile~ ~Featured on 'Magical realism' reading list on @Fantasy~ ~Featured on 'A magical journey' reading list on @Magic~ Written for ONC IV.Complete
Awakening - The Last Science #1
No one ever knows the whole story... Nestled deep in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, something is emerging. Kept in absolute secrecy, it seeps into a fading town, quietly shared from person to person. For Alden Bensen, a directionless high school graduate, this discovery could mean an escape from his empty existence. To Rachel DuValle, perpetually underestimated and dismissed by the world, magic represents a chance to become something much greater than herself. In the face of an unsuspecting world, their decisions shape the growth of a budding society discovering untold power. This potent force offers anyone the power to change humanity forever - or send it cascading into swift and total annihilation. ----- The Last Science is an ongoing science-fiction / low-fantasy web novel series. New chapters will be posted on Fridays for as long as it takes to tell the whole story. For Wattpad only, chapters are split up by individual scenes-if you would prefer the whole chapters in single pieces, please visit my homepage or another site where I post this story, thanks! Discord: https://discord.gg/5NYk6za Patreon: https://patreon.com/etzoli Content Warning (by request): This series delves into some topics and situations which may be upsetting for some readers. In American rating parlance, the narrative would be rated PG-13 (except for language), but some have noted the story can get pretty dark on occasion. Please use your best judgment, and don't be afraid to take breaks and come back later. I'll still be here! This story will also be published weekly at my website (https://etzo.li). There will be no differences in content, but slight differences in formatting. Feel free to read at whichever site or app you prefer. If you're enjoying the story, consider dropping me a vote over on Top Web Fiction, or come say hi on Discord. Thanks! Discord: https://discord.gg/5NYk6za Patreon: https://patreon.com/etzoliComplete
A Thorny Tale
Foreword: A plant can thrive or a plant can die with or without attention. Whether it's lovingly nurtured or butchered makes no difference really but sometimes they can come back stronger than ever. It's a relationship where we need each other more than we think about really and we take them all for granted like we do each other. One seed can sow doubt or it can sow hope. Wonder what would happen to the world if such a seed existed inside a person and it finally bloomed? Synopsis: Briar was made a slave and an orphan on the same day she was born. She serves at the castle she was born in, the court of winter. Everyone can command her to do tasks and she has no freedom to leave. Those at the top of this world are the ruling Fae, next are ruling humans, next Fae, free humans, protected slaves and then the banished ones. At least as a slave she has a chance at earning her freedom from a ruling Fae to pardon her. She is also something more which is discovered as she grows up but she must keep it hidden to protect herself. As she masters her skills, she, along with her friends, are given the opportunity to leave and earn her freedom. It's the first step in finding herself and her answers and perhaps it could change her life in ways she couldn't imagine when she was taking everyone's orders in the kitchen. But first she must rescue a prince from a dungeon... (Small warning) Contains suggestions of non consensual sexual relationships of a business kind but no graphic detail. This is a story about a main female character in a reverse harem situation as well. (Book cover made from Book Covers app)Complete
The Princess and the Merman
This is a new fairytale for me to write about. Just to let you know, it's not the little mermaid genderbend. You can read or add my story to your reading list. Just please don't steal my idea. Thank you. Started; 01/30/2023 Finished; 02/06/2023 Plot; Princess Lucia is a seventeen year old girl who lived with her mother and father. The king and queen. She has a twin brother named Lucas. Little that she doesn't know, her brother try to get rid of her due to envy. He was younger than her. Lucia was being appointed to become the next queen for the kingdom. The royal guards ambushed the princess and took her away to the witch's house near the ocean. The two white witches agreed to help the princess for her desperate plea to return to her home castle. And stop her brother for his act of disposing his only twin sibling. The two white witches told her to take a swim in the sea before leaving. Before Lucia tries to get out of the water, she was suddenly transformed into a mermaid by the two white witches. There are two ways to break the spell before her time is up by the next month. If Lucia gets a kiss by the merman, she'll be a mermaid for all eternity. If the princess gets a kiss from the prince on land, she will be human again. If not, she will be lost in the world of water. Will Lucia see her family again as a mermaid? How is she going to reach them if she can't swim as a mermaid? Princess Lucia was new to be a mermaid. She has a long way to see her pink tail fin works in the ocean floor.Complete
Every Day in May (grand prize winner) ✔
***WINNER of the "BREATHTAKING: A FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL WRITING COMPETITION!" "You are a secret kept from the world, but not from me." So begins the peculiar message found slipped under a bedroom door on the morning of May first. Theo is the heir to a powerful dictatorship. The number of people allowed to know he exists is few. He has spent his entire life walled up in the Tower, the looming stone monolith from which his father rules over the Land. Merryn is the daughter of political prisoners. She's known who Theo is longer than he would think possible, and she is taking a great risk contacting him via handwritten notes in order to convince him he deserves more than the fate his father has designed for him. She has one month to exchange daily messages with him, to answer his questions and open his eyes to the realities of a world he has never been allowed to see. A revolution is coming to the Land at the end of the month, and if Merryn's notes fail to get their point across, Theo may never live to see the sunrise on June first. A/N: The following letters were originally published each day from May 1st-31st, 2014. As you will see,Theo is allowed to write down a question for Merryn each evening, but you, the reader, won't see these within the body of the story. It may or may not be obvious from Merryn's response what Theo is asking. Part of the fun is guessing what his questions might be, but if you really want to know what they are, a list of those questions is at the end of the story. This story is a re-imagining of Rapunzel. Now, without further ado-I believe a young heir is about to unfold a slip of paper found on the tile floor near his door... Let's see what it says!Complete
The Gathering: The New Order of Merlin Book 1
In a world of magic and myth, everybody's got a secret or two. An immortal sorcerer, Merlin, pretends to be a child to become Harry Potter's secret guardian. Magical twins, Jack and Elsa, fearful of their heartless mother, the Queen of Winter, pretend to be human and hide out at Hogwarts. An enchanted diary pretends to be little Ginny's secret best friend, manipulating her into the unthinkable. But harboring secrets comes with consequences. A monster unleashed upon Hogwarts is a minor inconvenience in the grand design of the gods. *** Welcome to The NOOM, the start of an epic multi-fandom series placed in the Wizarding World universe, expanded with themes from Gaelic mythology. We get up to mischief with Peeves and exact long-overdue karma on Snape. We get into Old Religion - the beliefs and the magic - expanded past Merlin canon. Get ready for fluff, drama, cheesy puns, and of course, winter magic. * Currently undergoing a massive revision. The numbered chapters have been edited already. * *OPEN FANFICTION (you don't have to have prior knowledge of the fandoms to enjoy it)* Fandoms: - Canon-compliant Harry Potter and BBC Merlin (Chamber of Secrets timeline with Ginny's point of view). - Only for the characters: Rise of the Guardians and Frozen (Jack and Elsa are twins!). Jack and Elsa's backstory will be revealed eventually, but if you'd like to read ahead, check out The Well of Youth (written from the villain's point of view). This book is about 250,000 words in total. Binge away. No trigger warnings. No mature content. Just magic. Lots of magic. *** Featured on @WattWitches profile. I do not own characters or plots from Harry Potter books or BBC Merlin or Rise of the Guardians or Frozen or the pictures in the banners (some of the artwork came from Pottermore - the previous official HP site). ;) Enjoy!Complete
Dancing on Glass
#26 in Fantasy ~ In six months, Cinderella will be free. At nineteen, she comes into her inheritance and will be rid of her wretched stepfamily. All she has to do is: Behave: (to a point) Do as she's told: (for the most part) Stay out of sight: (well, her stepmother doesn't need to know her closest friend is the personal attendant to the Crown Prince) For the most part, Cinderella does as she's told... until a royal ball. And with that... comes a secret. She has no idea what that secret might be but Cinderella knows there's something there. Something hidden by her Stepmother that sits below a tangled web of lies that span years. And Cinderella is going to find out what it is - less she gets caught in that web like those who went before her. ~~~~~~~ Far, Far Away Trilogy: Reading Order: Dancing on Glass Dancing on Ice TBA ~~~~ Cover image: Lisa KeeneComplete
Portal (ONC 2025)
🏆 ONC 2025 SHORT-LISTER 🏆 Warning: Explicit mentions of violence, suicide and sexual content. Please proceed with caution. Rated Mature. ============================================= **STORY IS UNPUBLISHED!** The sun burns too hot outside. And inside her house, the heat isn't the worst thing. Her mother's words hit just as hard, reminding her that she's a disappointment. School isn't much better. No one notices when she's there, no one cares when she's gone. She's background noise, too exhausted to try anymore. And then the puddle appears. It shouldn't be there, not in this drought. When she kneels beside it, her reflection stares back. It blinks. It pulls her in. She thought she would die drowning in. But being alive, dragged into another world isn't the problem. Now she is important to this other world. Now, she is seen. But because she is so valuable, the General wants to use her. And possibly, someone that might want her to stay, for her. Portal is a paranormal fantasy adventure filled with sapphic tension, full of action and death, and a love that goes beyond worlds. For the Open Novella Writing Contest 2025. Prompt #5. © 2025 by eleeyjs (EJ Chow). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods-without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical reviews or scholarly work. This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and settings are entirely fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental.Complete
After I suddenly died I possessed the body of what I thought was an extra within a novel. From then on my life was mostly calm, though not fulfilling. Until one day I discovered I wasn't just a background figure; instead I was an insignificant character who'd end up being the villainous Grand Duke's secretary, only to die shortly after being near him! But I had no choice, it was too late to change my fate, so I decided to live as obediently as possible under the orders of the sadist villain. But I still had a plan. Even before the female lead makes her appearance, I will try in every way to make the villain a little more normal, or at least ensure that the two do not meet, so that no one will face a harsh death, including me! And then, after the villain doesn't become obsessed with the female lead and becomes more normal, I will be able to resign and live peacefully. So I just cleared all the suspicions he might have about me in order to not incur his wrath and die like in the novel. * * * "I'll give you a choice." The corner of his lips raised crookedly. Though that smile did not reach his eyes at all. "One, don't resign and stay here forever..." His gaze was enough to unnerve me. "Two, let me kill those who dared to give you the idea of resigning...then don't go and stay here forever." No, haven't I already made sure that the villain has become a little more normal!? ...What the heck is going on!? He shouldn't be like this!
More detailsContent Guidelines